'Silver Linings Playbook'

'Silver Linings Playbook'

Fox Searchlight

LEAD ACTRESS: Jennifer Lawrence. When nominations were announced, this was framed as a two-woman race between the "Silver Linings" star and Jessica Chastain. Now, in the wake of Riva's BAFTA win, it has become fashionable to predict the academy will go with the French actress, who will turn 86 on the day of the Oscar ceremony. All three women are deserving, but we believe Lawrence's early momentum, which included a SAG win, will be enough to get her to the podium.

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Robert De Niro. In a category sporting five Oscar winners delivering high-caliber work, the difference might come down to the narratives being spun around the nominees. The Weinstein Co.'s campaigners took a page from last year's successful Meryl-Streep-is-overdue crusade, making sure voters realized that it has been more than two decades since De Niro was last nominated and more than three decades since the academy gave him an Oscar. It's his time! It helps that his work in "Silver Linings" combines humor, fragility, warmth and a powderkeg volatility -- all the things we love about De Niro -- in one beautiful performance. Welcome back, Bobby D!

LEAD ACTRESS: Jennifer Lawrence. When nominations were announced, this was framed as a two-woman race between the "Silver Linings" star and Jessica Chastain. Now, in the wake of Riva's BAFTA win, it has become fashionable to predict the academy will go with the French actress, who will turn 86 on the day of the Oscar ceremony. All three women are deserving, but we believe Lawrence's early momentum, which included a SAG win, will be enough to get her to the podium.

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Robert De Niro. In a category sporting five Oscar winners delivering high-caliber work, the difference might come down to the narratives being spun around the nominees. The Weinstein Co.'s campaigners took a page from last year's successful Meryl-Streep-is-overdue crusade, making sure voters realized that it has been more than two decades since De Niro was last nominated and more than three decades since the academy gave him an Oscar. It's his time! It helps that his work in "Silver Linings" combines humor, fragility, warmth and a powderkeg volatility -- all the things we love about De Niro -- in one beautiful performance. Welcome back, Bobby D!

(Fox Searchlight)

LEAD ACTRESS: Jennifer Lawrence. When nominations were announced, this was framed as a two-woman race between the "Silver Linings" star and Jessica Chastain. Now, in the wake of Riva's BAFTA win, it has become fashionable to predict the academy will go with the French actress, who will turn 86 on the day of the Oscar ceremony. All three women are deserving, but we believe Lawrence's early momentum, which included a SAG win, will be enough to get her to the podium.

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Robert De Niro. In a category sporting five Oscar winners delivering high-caliber work, the difference might come down to the narratives being spun around the nominees. The Weinstein Co.'s campaigners took a page from last year's successful Meryl-Streep-is-overdue crusade, making sure voters realized that it has been more than two decades since De Niro was last nominated and more than three decades since the academy gave him an Oscar. It's his time! It helps that his work in "Silver Linings" combines humor, fragility, warmth and a powderkeg volatility -- all the things we love about De Niro -- in one beautiful performance. Welcome back, Bobby D!